A popular Central Coast pet store is reportedly getting out of the puppy-selling business.
Animal Kingdom Pismo Beach posted on its Facebook page Monday that it only had two puppies left and when they were gone, they would no longer carry puppies. The business claims its supply of young canines has been up and down. It also cites AB 485, a California law that went into effect in January, which prohibits pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits from breeders. Under the law, animals must come from a rescue organization with a 501 C-3 status.
As a KSBY News investigation revealed back in February, Animal Kingdom was selling purebred puppies obtained from Bark Adoptions, located in Menifee, California for thousands of dollars. At the time, KSBY could not confirm Bark Adoptions ever received 501 C-3 status with the IRS.
Veterinary inspection forms from Iowa’s Department of Agriculture showed some of the puppies shipped to Bark Adoptions came from a group called Rescue Pets Iowa.
On March 19, Iowa’s Attorney General’s Office announced it was suing a breeder and two non-profits, including Rescue Pets Iowa it said, for violating the state’s consumer fraud act. Iowa Attorney General Tim Miller claimed the groups were circumventing puppy mill bans enacted in several states, including California.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund and Volar Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have also filed lawsuits, calling the setup a “puppy laundering scheme.”
Animal Kingdom operates pet stores in Santa Maria, Pismo Beach, and Grover Beach.
The owner has not responded to our requests for comment.
A post from Animal Kingdom Pismo Beach on Tuesday stated only one puppy was left in the store.
